Give Me the Bible
I am part of a ladies’ Bible class that I love. If you are around me for very long and in our area, I will be inviting you to be part of that class. It has enriched my life in so many ways because we really study the Bible. I mean, we really study the Bible. We don’t use any class book, not because we don’t believe in them or can’t find a good one (I know there are lots of good ones out there), but because we see a need to just study God’s word in depth.
I was thinking about a song we sometimes sing at our congregation. The title of the song is “Give Me the Bible.” I was wondering if we really mean it when we sing that song. One of the verses has these words:
Give me the Bible all my steps enlighten,
Teach me the danger of these realms below;
That lamp of safety o’er the gloom shall brighten,
That light alone the path of peace can show.
The reason I’m wondering about whether or not we really believe what we’re singing is because when certain subjects are taught from the Bible – God’s inspired words to man – some people become very upset and begin to try to justify their actions.
Some of those topics that seem to cause grief among some members are:
- God’s plan for the home.
The teaching of Genesis 2:24 concerning one man for one woman for life and the leaving of parents and cleaving to each other in the formation of your own home often goes ignored. How many young men and women go back to their parents when the first disagreement takes place?
God’s plan for the husband to be the head of the home often causes grief in a marriage. Some have said that in our culture that just isn’t realistic. You might want to take that up with God then since His word says, “For the husband is the head of the wife…” (Eph. 5:23).
- Submission.
If you really want to get some women stirred up, just talk about wives being in submission to their husbands! Now they don’t seem to have a problem with being in submission to a boss, a school superintendent, or a department head, but when you say that they are to be in submission to their husband you have just crossed the line. However, Paul told the Ephesians that wives were to submit to their own husbands, as to the Lord (Eph. 5:22).
- Modest dress.
Oh, how difficult it is to talk about modest clothing in this day and age. It isn’t just difficult to teach to girls at a youth rally, but it is often very difficult to convince mothers and fathers that they should be teaching this to their sons and their daughters. However, Paul wrote to Timothy in his first letter that “…women should adorn (beautify) themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control…” (1 Tim. 2:9).
- Attendance at worship.
I read a great deal now about it not mattering where we go to worship. As long as the people there believe in God any church will do, and several have posted and boasted about their attendance at different places. This is not a statement of judgment on anyone, but my Bible teaches me that in order for my worship to be acceptable to God, I must come before Him with a pure heart and offer my worship to Him (John 4:24). If I come together to worship with others just to see what I can get out of it – feelings or entertainment or happiness – I have attended worship for the wrong reason.
- Commitment to God.
When Jesus was asked the question concerning what the greatest commandment was in the law, He answered with these words, “…you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind” (Matt. 22:37, emphasis added). How many of us can teach today that God wants all of our being, and not be considered a radical in their thinking?
These are but a few of the topics that came to my mind when thinking about teaching others the whole truth.
Do I really want to know what the Bible says?
When I know what it says, do I recognize it as the inspiration of God? (2 Timothy 3:16)
When I recognize it as “breathed out by God” am I willing to apply it to my life no matter what anyone else says?
Can we truly sing the words to the song “Give Me the Bible?”
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AUTHOR: Donna Faughn
